Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake (Printable version)

Golden-baked pasta with tender chicken, vibrant pesto, and gooey mozzarella for an easy, satisfying meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 medium chicken breasts (about 12 oz), diced

→ Pesto & Sauce

03 - 1/2 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade
04 - 1 1/4 cups tomato passata or marinara sauce
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Cheese

07 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Seasoning

09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
10 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 390°F and allow to reach temperature.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until cooked through and lightly golden.
04 - Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato passata and half of the pesto. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, chicken mixture, half of the mozzarella, and remaining pesto. Stir gently until evenly mixed.
06 - Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
07 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and golden and sauce is bubbling.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil and serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It pulls together in under an hour, but tastes like you spent all afternoon in the kitchen.
  • The pesto does all the heavy lifting for flavor, so theres no fussy seasoning or guesswork.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
  • You can sneak in vegetables or swap the protein without changing the soul of the dish.
02 -
  • Dont skip draining the pasta well or the bake will turn watery and soupy instead of rich and cohesive.
  • Use half the pesto in the sauce and half when mixing so the flavor stays bright and doesnt get lost in the oven.
  • Let the dish rest after baking or the cheese will slide right off and the first serving will be a messy puddle.
03 -
  • Always taste your pesto before adding it, some store bought versions are saltier than others and you may need to adjust seasoning.
  • Use a shallow, wide baking dish instead of a deep one so you get more crispy, golden cheese surface area.
  • If the top is browning too fast, tent the dish loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking.
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